Tandem Cycling - Col du Tourmalet by Tandem

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Peak Team
07-27-05, 03:37 PM
Following up on my post about upgrading the disk brake on out Orbit Twin 26 the bike got a test over the Col de la Croix Blanc and the Col du Tourmalet this month.

Was an epic day out. The Tourmalet was seriously hard work in the heat. Averaged around 5 mph on the climb up the pass and >30 mph on the descent.

Would consider a larger choice of climbing gears in any future (eg. 9 speed block with a 34 tooth ring). No problems at all with the V and disk brakes.

Anyone else have any experiences of tandem riding in the mountains ?

zonatandem
07-27-05, 05:39 PM
Have ridden the White Mountains in Arizona up to the ski lodge at Sunrise (over 9,200 ft. elevation) Long/hard/cold metric century. Hilatious descent the next day!
KendallF
07-27-05, 07:59 PM
That sounds like a ride of a lifetime. Were they setting up for the Tour yet when you were there?

Tandem Tim
07-28-05, 01:48 AM
A few years ago we were planning to do the Col de Tourmalet amongst others, on our Bike Friday Tandem Traveller XL. However while coming down off the Col de Bataille a few days before, the cable on our drag/drum brake snapped, and we ended up blowing the rear tube about 20s later. Damaged the rim, blew all our spare tubes subsequently, and spent the rest of the day walking (and a bit of the next day until we got to a town with a bike shop). Needless to say, we decided to give the Col de Tourmalet a miss - maybe on another trip.
Peak Team
07-28-05, 04:03 AM
That sounds like a ride of a lifetime. Were they setting up for the Tour yet when you were there?
We did see the finish in Pau this year. The Tour missed the Tourmalet, but did the Col d'Aubisque I think. This was my first trip to the Pyrenees - I was very impressed. I'd quite like to try some of the cols on a solo bike at some point too.
zonatandem
07-28-05, 04:49 PM
Those 20-inch wheels on a B'Friday have a habit of not dissipating heat as well as 26" or 700c on long/steep descents. Have learned ages ago, when on a tour/multi-day ride always pack a rear brake/derailleur cable; better to have it and not need, than to need it and not have it.
Better luck next time!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem